Weather

Midwest Tornadoes: Photos Show Widespread Storm Destruction

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called Friday's weather "the most devastating tornado event in our state's history."

Megan VerHelst's profile picture
Megan VerHelst, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
|
Emergency response workers dig through the rubble of the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in Mayfield, Ky.
Emergency response workers dig through the rubble of the Mayfield Consumer Products candle factory in Mayfield, Ky. (AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley)

Severe weather ripped through several Midwest states Friday night, spawning deadly tornadoes and leaving absolute devastation in its wake.

The storms hit a candle factory in Kentucky, an Amazon facility in Illinois and a nursing home in Arkansas. Officials had confirmed 29 deaths, including 22 in three Kentucky counties. Beshear said about 110 people were in the Mayfield factory when the tornado roared through.

However, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said as many as 70 people may have died when a twister touched down in his state, staying on the ground for more than 200 miles.

Find out what's happening in Across Americafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

“This has been the most devastating tornado event in our state’s history,” Beshear said at a news conference.

People survey damage from a tornado in Mayfield, Ky, after severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
People survey damage from a tornado in Mayfield, Ky, after severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday. (AP Photo/Mark Humphrey)
A woman searches for valuables amidst the remnants of a home on Highway F in Defiance, Mo. (Christian Gooden/St. Louis Post-Dispatch via AP)
An Amazon distribution center is heavily damaged after a strong thunderstorm moved through the area of Edwardsville, Ill. (AP Photo/Jeff Roberson)
People survey damage from a tornado in Mayfield, Ky, after severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday. (AP Photo)
Local firefighters, EMS and first responders check for survivors trapped in homes and vehicles in the neighborhood off Creekwood Avenue in Bowling Green, Ky. (Grace Ramey/Daily News via AP)
A tornado-damaged business is pictured in Mayfield, Kentucky. Multiple tornadoes tore through parts of the lower Midwest late on Friday night, leaving a large path of destruction. (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)

Find Your Patch

Patch is in more than 1,000 communities across America. Find your community and see what's happening outside your front door.

Find out what's happening in Across Americafor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Across America